Analysis of After-Glow.
Sarah Chauncey Woolsey 1835 (Cleveland) – 1905
My morn was all dewy rose and pearl,
Peace brimmed the skies, a cool and fragrant air
Caressed my going forth, and everywhere
The radiant webs, by hope and fancy spun,
Stretched shining in the sun.
Then came a noon, hot, breathless, still,--
No wind to visit the dew-thirsty flowers,
Only the dust, the road, the urging hours;
And, pressing on, I never guessed or knew
That day was half-way through.
And when the pomp of purple lit the sky,
And sheaves of golden lances tipped with red
Danced in the west, wondering I gazed, and said,
"Lo, a new morning comes, my hopes to crown!"
Sudden the sun dropped down
Like a great golden ball into the sea,
Which made room, laughing, and the serried rank
Of yellow lances flashed, and, turning, sank
After their chieftain, as he led the way,
And all the heaven was gray.
Startled and pale, I stood to see them go;
Then a long, stealing shadow to me crept,
And laid his cold hand on me, and I wept
And hid my eyes, and shivered with affright
At thought of coming night.
But as I wept and shuddered, a warm thrill
Smote on my sense. I raised my eyes, and lo!
The skies, so dim but now, were all aglow
With a new flush of tender rose and gold,
Opening fold on fold.
Higher and higher soared the gracious beam,
Deeper and deeper glowed the heavenly hues,
Nor any cowering shadow could refuse
The beautiful embrace which clasped and kissed
Its dun to amethyst.
A little longer, and the lovely light,
Draining the last drops from its wondrous urn,
Departed, and the swart shades in their turn,
Impatient of the momentary mirth,
Crowded to seize the earth.
No longer do I shudder. With calm eye
I front the night, nor wish its hours away;
For in that message from my banished day
I read his pledge of dawn, and soon or late
I can endure to wait.
Scheme | XAABB CDDEE FGGHH XIIJJ KLLGM CKKNN XOOPP MQQRR FJJSS |
---|---|
Poetic Form | |
Metre | 111110101 1101010101 011101010 01001110101 110001 11011101 11110011010 10010101010 0101110111 111111 0101110101 011101111 10011001101 1011011111 100111 1011010101 111100011 110110101 1011011101 0101011 1001111111 101101111 0111111011 011101011 111101 1111010011 1111111101 0111110101 1011110101 100111 1001010101 10010101001 1101001101 0100011101 111100 0101000101 1001111101 0100011011 010101001 101101 1101110111 11011111001 1011011101 1111110111 110111 |
Closest metre | Iambic pentameter |
Characters | 1,759 |
Words | 343 |
Sentences | 12 |
Stanzas | 9 |
Stanza Lengths | 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 |
Lines Amount | 45 |
Letters per line (avg) | 31 |
Words per line (avg) | 7 |
Letters per stanza (avg) | 153 |
Words per stanza (avg) | 37 |
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Submitted on August 03, 2020
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:42 min read
- 3 Views
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"After-Glow." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/56684/after-glow.>.
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